As academics across the country return to school, a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that most children, adolescents, and young adults who die from COVID-19 are Hispanic, black, or Native Americans.
Researchers found that there is a staggering racial disparity in the more than 390,000 cases of coronavirus and 121 deaths among others under the age of 21 reported to the CDC between February 12 and July 31.
Hispanic, black, and Native American youth accounted for 78% of these deaths, which make up only 41% of the U. S. population. U. S. , a disproportionate effect that reflects a similar disparity between adults. Previous studies have shown that the number of COVID-19 deaths is twice as high for other people of color under the age of 65 as for white Americans.
“The effects did not surprise me at all,” said Monika Goyal, a pediatric emergency medicine specialist at National Children’s Hospital in Washington, DC. Goyal, who was not concerned about the CDC research, conducted a study published in the journal Pediatrics this month that found that among 1,000 young people who were tested for COVID-19 at a site in Washington in March and In April, youth of color were disproportionately represented in the 20% who tested positive.
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Underlying fitness problems, such as asthma, obesity and downtown problems, were also a threat to young people. The report found that 75% of young people who died had at least one underlying condition.
The report states that social disparities such as “living conditions of overcrowding, food and housing insecurity, wealth and schooling gaps, and racial discrimination” are points that could have contributed to these racial inequalities.
The researchers also noted that adults belonging to racial and ethnic minorities are more likely to be essential personnel who are most at risk of coronavirus exposure and then can pass it on to their household members. Higher rates of adverse outcomes may also be related to difficulty accessing health care “due to lack of insurance, child care, transportation, or paid leave for poor physical condition. “
“What COVID has done is highlight those long-standing fitness disparities that young people and other people of color in our society,” Goyal said. “In fact, I hope that this will be a call to action, that we, as a society, will come forward to really see how to mitigate these disparities by addressing these root causes. “
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The authors of the statement stated that young people who belong to racial or ethnic minorities or who have underlying situations and that their caregivers would benefit from transparent and consistent prevention messages opposed to COVID-19. exposure and location of symptoms and symptoms.
Researchers also found that most deaths occurred in older patients: 70% of those who died were between the age of 10 and 20, while only 10% were babies under one year old.
Most of these deaths occurred after the youth entered the hospital, however, 32% of the deaths occurred at home or in the emergency room.
Goyal stated that while any death among other young people is alarming, it is important to note that “the death threat is incredibly low” for young people who contract COVID-19. Americans under the age of 21 account for only 0. 08% of the more than 190,000 reported deaths across the country.
“I think it’s vital that the public doesn’t panic,” he said. “Fortunately, most young people have a mild infection and are recovering. “
The test authors also noted that during the knowledge-gathering period, most child care providers and schools were closed. As these services reopen, the number of pediatric coronavirus-related deaths would possibly replace and deserve to be monitored, they said.
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